Ballinrobe preview: Adrian McGuinness has his team firing on all cylinders and amongst his most impressive winners of late was Salishan who after a couple of second placings sprinted home through the mud at Listowel on Friday to win by five and a half lengths from No Frontier.
At the end of the Festival his rider Declan McDonogh was a dozen winners clear of the pursuing Pat Smullen and looking in an increasingly strong position to secure his first Flat race championship title.
Salishan is napped to win under a mandatory 5lb penalty at Ballinrobe today and that should consolidate the lead even if Smullen comes back an hour later with a repeat course and distance success on the Dermot Weld trained Reside.
This time around his target, the J J Burke Peugeot and Isuzu Race, is the most valuable on the programme and the only one not calling for a ballot on a card that suggests that west of the Shannon could extend its racing season.
Dr Michael Smurfit can refocus his sporting interest on horse racing. Unlike the American team his John McMahon Handicap Chase runner Super Gale looked all over a winner when turning for home in the lead at Kilbeggan but was pipped on the post.